Site Record

Rhayader Gas Light Co. Ltd. was formed in 1864. On the 7th of September, a rectangular site of 378 sq. yds, was purchased from Thomas Packard. The gasworks were designed and built by George Bower of St. Neots. On the 31st 1903 December, further land (about doubling the site area) was acquired to the north and east of the site, the vendors were William Henry Morgan and Robert Henry Holland. In 1915 the gasworks were being controlled from Tinsley near Sheffield, in common with other gasworks at Gosberton and Llandeilo. On the 27th October 1938 further land was acquired to the west on which was built No.1 gasholder, capacity 20,000 cu.ft., the vendors were the Executors of Edward Augustus Collard. In 1949 the annual gas production was 31.4m cu.ft.. In 1952 the “Gas World Year Book”, showed that Rhayader gasworks was manufacturing 8 m cu.ft. of gas using horizontal plant. F. Turford was the engineer and manager. The Rhayader gasworks was supplied in 1960 through the Mid Wales Gas Grid from the Maelor gasworks at Wrexham, with the gasworks closing. A small monolith near Rhayader at 298408, 269913 commemorates the completion of the Mid-Wales Grid in 1960. A high-pressure gasholder was removed in 1964. A total of 1,080 sq. yds of land sold to Rhayader District Council in 1974. No holders remained in 1977. The Remaining site was sold to Radnor District Council in 1988. The gasworks were visible on the 1888 to 1948 OS maps.